Botanical Vet Tech

20/09/2024

Foster or adopt 🐾🙏

18/09/2024

Quality of life is a fairly subjective concept, and subtle changes can sometimes mean big changes for our pets. Discussion with your veterinary professionals will help clarify any specific medical implications that can serve as benchmarks to help reassess the best ways to care for our aging pets.

To get a more objective perspective, there are many tools you can utilize.
There are 2 posts in my content:
B.E.A.M (the one I use most)
And
H.H.H.H.H.M.M
Take a look at both of those - each is the same concept but one may apply better for you and your pets needs. 

Some additional scales I like to use are:
-Lap of Love Quality of life scale and diary
-Colorado University Animal Pain scales
-Feline Grimace scale
-Center for transformative research -CADES worksheet 

There are also 
-Senior pet checklists

Your veterinary healthcare team will be an important partner as you notice, notate and report these subtle changes as well as help you navigate any difficult days and decisions that we as pet lovers inevitably face.

18/09/2024

If you are looking for an objective way to consider your pet’s quality of life, this scale is another tool available for use. Assess and discuss with your veterinary team.

Using a scale of 0 to 10 (0 = Unacceptable, 10 = Excellent), patients can be evaluated for their quality of life.

Score Criterion:
0-10 Hurt — Is the patient in pain, including distress from difficulty in breathing?Can the pet’s pain be successfully managed? Is oxygen necessary?

0-10 Hunger — Is the pet eating enough? Does hand-feeding help? Does the pet require a feeding tube?
*consider functional nutrition consult w/an integrative veterinary team

0-10 Hydration — Is the pet dehydrated? Are subcutaneous fluids once or twice daily enough to resolve the problem? Are they well-tolerated?

0-10 Hygiene — The pet should be kept brushed and clean, particularly after elimination. Does the pet have pressure sores?

0-10 Happiness — Does the pet express joy and interest? Is he responsive to things around him (family, toys, etc)? Is the pet depressed, lonely, anxious, bored, or afraid? Can the pet’s bed be near the kitchen and moved near family activities to minimize isolation?

0-10 Mobility — Can the pet get up without assistance? Does the pet need human or mechanical help (eg, a cart)? Does she feel like going for a walk? Is she having seizures or stumbling? Note: Some caregivers feel euthanasia is preferable to amputation, yet an animal with limited mobility may still be alert and responsive, and can have a good quality of life as long as the family is committed to quality care.

*for limited movement or assistance required for mobility and elimination, consider dog orthopedic bracing to support various conditions without surgery such as: hip dysplasia, CCL injury, arthritis, neurological disorders and more.

0-10 More Good Days than Bad — When bad days outnumber good days, the pet’s suffering is appreciable and quality of life might be too compromised. When a healthy human-animal bond is no longer possible, the caregiver must be made aware that the end is near.

Total: A total of > 35 points is considered a good quality of life. Higher is worth discussion with vet team as mentioned above.

18/09/2024

This acronym B.E.A.M stands for
Behavior
Energy
Appetite
Mood

All of which can be used to assess a pets quality of life, especially for our geriatric pets. If you see changes in these areas , it's time to talk with your veterinary team.

Quality of life is a fairly subjective concept, and subtle changes can sometimes mean big changes for our pets. Discussion with your veterinary professionals will help clarify any specific medical implications that can serve as benchmarks to help reassess the best ways to care for our aging pets.

Your veterinary healthcare team will be an important partner as you notice and report these subtle changes as well as help you navigate the difficult days and decisions that we as pet lovers inevitably face.

17/09/2024

This is Hank !
Hank has a variety of health concerns....
Kidney failure
Bladder cancer
Congestive Heart Failure associated with a chronic cough

And you know what else he has ?
A Registered Veterinary Nurse to care for him while his guardian is away 🐾❤️🩺

Hanks many adorable characteristics , great attitude, and expressions make him the best basset patient to date 📅

#🩺❤️🐾

15/09/2024

This is our foster girl Payton. Payton came to us needing a stable home that could help her through her anxiety and stress and develop healthy behaviors responses.

It's been an awesome road with this girl. She has learned commands in 2 different languages , worked through her fears of noises, people and things that " hover" , as well as her fear of vehicles 🫶 We still have some work to do when it comes to strangers , but her ability to bond with our family is nurtured daily and she has grown exponentially.

And while this started as a foster situation we were ultimately hoping to adopt some time in the near future- just had no idea it would be so soon. 😉

Payton imprinted, and I believe myself and my family were meant to be the permanent guardians of Payton- and we are so in love with her. 🐾♥️
However this comes with it twists as I have some goals for any dog coming into my care which in turn has required some advocacy. In this case, advocacy when it comes to altering Patons reproductive system.

Payton must be spayed by regulations in place before adoption can take place.
Thankfully an awesome individual with the humane society , has been willing to hear me out and allow me to enter into a "homeward bound " agreement while I make arrangements for an unconventional approach.

The typical OVH is the procedure many female dogs and cats undergo, ensuring that pregnancy and unwanted litters are not an option in the future.

However, knowing some of the ramifications of this procedure for some breeds ( if not all ), I have advocated for an OSS and consulted with 2 seperate board certified veterinary specialists in reproductive veterinary medicine, to ensure this is the right procedure for Payton.

Payton will be undergoing her procedure at the end of this month. I feel very fortunate to have been a voice for Payton regarding this matter . Other animals I have rescued/ fostered have already undergone OVH procedures and many times I had wished to turn back the clocks for them.

This time will be different. Not just for her - but for me too . As the only spay procedures I have acted as the attending surgical nurse for, have always been the standard OVH.
Pretty cool - just like Payton with her glasses on 🫶

After the completion of her procedure - Payton will officially be adopted by our family and she will have her own personal Veterinary Nurse as her guardian and advocate 🐾♥️

15/09/2024

Whether your home has one or multiple cat kids - Litter Matters !
The litter you bring home has an impact on your kittys health , your health and the environment.

Types of litter-
Clay
Soy leaf litter ( tofu litter) - natural
Crystal (Silica Gel)
Pine- natural
Walnut - natural

Common chemicals found in clay and crystal litters:
Clays-The most commonly used clays: bentonites, sepiolite, montmorillonite, and kaolinite. Used to attract and absorb moisture

Sodium bentonite - Toxic chemical added as clumping agent. Ingestion is dangerous.

Crystalline silica- A known carcinogen. Inhalation of these particles have been linked to allergies and upper respiratory issues.

Antimony- Toxic heavy metal

Other additives- Used to improve odor control, such as baking soda, fragrances, antibacterial agents, silica gel, wheat enzymes, and wheat starches.
Many of these are not needed with more natural litters, as they do a better job with odor control.

Attractants- These are used to appease your kitty and create a desire to use the litterbox. This is especially helpful for trying to solve house soiling issues. However you can add your own to the box. 

Examples of at home additives: 
Cat nip
Silver vine 
Fresh or dried herbs- lavender, valerian root or calendula 

When it comes to clumping litter - it's a hard NO for me due a clinical experience that opened my eyes about clumping cat litter and cat litter in general.

A dog had ingested clumping clay litter while enjoying some kitty snacks ( cat p**p ) and ultimately the litter turned to cement in his system.... he was just a young pup and had to be euthanized. That case has never left my memory......

Ban clumping cat litter from your home at the very least. At most use only natural products for the sake of your kittys overall health..

Tracking litter..... we all know how clay particles, crystals and their dust can stick our kittys paws and that means more mess outside the litterbox....
When it comes to reducing the dust and tracking of litter -  all-natural litters are typically low tracking and virtually dust-free.

These litters are also biodegradable and environmentally friendly. My favs are Pine and Walnut

15/09/2024

11/09/2024

In observance of 9/11, we recognize the persistent significance of human and canine collaboration in disaster relief. Over 300 dogs were engaged in search, rescue, and recovery operations at ground zero, providing direction and consolation alongside their handlers, who are universally regarded as heroes.

10/09/2024

Let bats hang out! It's migration and mating time. Sometimes bats end up in odd spots. Leave them alone, and remember to never touch a bat.

10/09/2024

First website I have seen for this type of comparison for pet insurance.
Check it out !

https://www.petinsurancereview.com/

10/09/2024

Plant medicine is ancient 🌱📜. The pharmaceutical industry is just a baby in comparison 👶

05/09/2024

This young man has finally been caught. 8mo of trying to set up the right situation- for he is very wise.

This is a TNR ( trap neuter return/ release - noe known as TNVR - Trap Neuter Vaccinate Release) situation.
It's estimated that neutering one male cat and spaying one female cat can prevent 2,000 unwanted kittens from being born within four years.

Benefits:
🐈Trap Neuter Return/ Trap Neuter Vaccinate Release - relieves cats of the constant stresses of mating and pregnancy.
🐈Spaying and neutering also virtually eliminates the chance of cats developing mammary or testicular tumors
🐈Mating behaviors cease, like roaming, yowling, spraying, and fighting.
Roaming less after neutering is beneficial to the cats safety and reduces conflict with neighbors. With decreased competition for mating, the cats are also less likely to suffer injuries.
🐈Cats are vaccinated against rabies.
🐈 Cats live longer, healthy lives
🐈The population stabilizes—no new kittens!
Reduced overpopulation = reduction in the number of unwanted pets and the need for euthanasia.

⚠️IMPORTANT: Even if done with proper protocol, relocation can be ineffective and even dangerous for cats. Community cats bond to their outdoor homes and, if relocated, may try to find their way back. In some cases, cats have died in the process. Keep this firmly in mind before deciding that a cat’s life will be better somewhere else.

Relocation of community cats is an absolute last resort and should only be considered if a cat is in imminent danger.

If you know community cats, you know how attached they are to their outdoor homes and to the other cats in their colonies. They take comfort in knowing which paths are safe to walk, the coziest places to sleep, and where they can fill their bellies.
Relocation rips cats from these homes and places them somewhere unfamiliar. Naturally, the process is extremely stressful and disorienting for them and decreases their chance of survival.

🐈Where You Trap Is Where You Return

01/09/2024

Keep:
Your cool
A journal
A video log

01/09/2024

In an emergent or urgent situation- homemade muzzles can be extremely helpful 🐾♥️🩺